Cookies with a Side of Danger

by Meredith Potts

  Deputy Reardon didn’t bring the cavalry with him, however. While Reardon had come to get a statement from me about what had just taken place, the rest of the Lake Ashford police department was heading west on Pine Drive, doing their best to track down Garrett.

  With an entire police force on his tail, it should come as no surprise that Garrett wasn’t able to get very far. The town of Ashford was tiny. There was only one way in or out. So, when Garrett attempted to bolt out of town, he discovered that the road was blocked off by a number of police cars. At that point, it was also too late for him to turn around. Especially with squad cars right behind him. Whether Garrett was willing to admit it or not, he was done for. The man was surrounded. Which meant that any attempt he made to evade capture would be a waste of time.

  When Garrett finally realized that, he stopped his car. Once Garrett’s vehicle was stationary, half a dozen deputies approached the sedan with their guns drawn. Since the officers didn’t know if the suspect had a firearm of his own, they approached with caution.

  Thankfully, Garrett got out of his sedan and put his hands behind his head without giving the officers any trouble. An officer then handcuffed Garrett and dragged him over to one of the squad cars. When Garrett was loaded in the back of the police car, the remaining deputies searched the suspect’s vehicle.

  While the police were determined to be as thorough as possible when searching the sedan, their main focus was on the contents of the vehicle’s trunk. While it was grim to think about, there was a possibility that Claire was in there.

  Ultimately, the cops didn’t find anything noteworthy in the trunk. Or the car, for that matter. In a way, that was a relief. After all, until the police actually found a dead body, there was still a chance that Claire was alive.

  On the flip side, with no sign of Claire anywhere, there was no telling where she was. At least, not at the moment.

  Detective Radford certainly had a number of questions for Garrett. It didn’t look like he would get answers to them anytime soon, though. Not from Garrett, anyway. The suspect was in no hurry to say a word to the police without a lawyer present.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  The search of Garrett’s vehicle didn’t produce anything remarkable, but when law enforcement went over to Mr. Walker’s residence, they made a shocking discovery. After getting a warrant to search Garrett’s house, the police kicked his door in. Once they were inside the suspect’s home, they discovered Claire Blakely handcuffed to a bed.

  Much to the police detective’s relief, Claire was still alive. A police deputy then found a key to the cuffs on top of a desk in the corner of the room. The deputy uncuffed Claire while another officer came into the room with a blanket.

  Detective Radford radioed for an ambulance, in case Claire needed medical attention. Ultimately, other than a few bruises, she was in good physical shape. Meanwhile, emotionally, she was a complete wreck.

  Detective Radford did his best to try and console Claire, but she would need a lot of therapy to recover from the horrors she had experienced.

  That evening, though, she was just happy to still be alive. And she wasn’t alone. When Claire’s father heard the news that his daughter had been found in one piece, he was overjoyed. Justin Blakely immediately jumped into his car and darted up to Lake Ashford.

  ***

  When Justin arrived in town, Claire was just starting to get her bearings back. The father and daughter ended up having a very emotional reunion at the Ashford police station. Justin immediately threw his arms around his daughter and pulled her in close.

  “I’m so happy that you’re alive,” Justin said.

  “So am I,” Claire said.

  There was so many more things that the father and daughter wanted to say to one another, but there would be plenty of time for talking later. Right then, words were optional. Their hug spoke volumes about how relieved they felt. Especially since they both knew that things could have turned out much differently.

  ***

  Once Justin was done hugging his daughter, he went over to the police detective to thank Radford and his deputies for everything they had done. That was when Radford explained to Justin how the evening had unfolded, beginning with Garrett’s attempted abduction of both me and my daughter. After learning about everything that had taken place, Justin contacted me. First, he expressed relief that no harm had come to my family. After that, he thanked me for helping to find his daughter.

  Never mind the fact that my role in this case being solved was mostly as potential victim who narrowly avoided being abducted. Honestly, my biggest contribution to this case was my split-second decision to grab the can of pepper spray from my purse. Everything I did after that was just self-preservation.

  In my mind, the Ashford Police Department deserved the majority of the credit. So, when David, Jessica, and I headed over to the police station that evening, I praised Detective Radford and the entire force on their swift response time. I truly owed them all a huge debt of gratitude.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  As much as I wanted to put this entire incident behind me, there were still some outstanding questions regarding Claire’s disappearance. Ultimately, Claire was the only one who could answer them.

  Once everybody’s emotions settled down a little, Detective Radford asked Claire to give her accounting of the events.

  Claire took a deep breath before responding, “You’re going to think I’m really stupid when I tell you this.”

  “I’m not here to judge you,” Radford said. “I just want to know what happened.”

  “I get that. But it’s hard not to feel embarrassed about my actions,” Claire said.

  “Why?” Radford asked. “This wasn’t your fault.”

  “I know. But if I had thought things through a little more before I agreed to meet Garrett, the odds are, none of this would have happened.”

  “Speaking of, can you go through the details with me leading up to you meeting Garrett?”

  “Sure. I met him online a couple of months ago. And let me tell you, he was much different on the internet than he is in person.”

  “That’s almost always the case.”

  “Anyway, we got to chatting and really hit it off. He just seemed like such a sweet guy.”

  “I’m sure he did. That’s how they hook you.”

  “He definitely managed to fool me. I thought he was so kind and considerate.” She shook her head in disbelief. “Talk about being dead wrong.”

  “To be fair, he didn’t show you his true colors online.”

  “He sure didn’t. In fact, he didn’t even show me what he really looked like.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Unfortunately,” Claire said. “You see, while we were chatting, he sent me this picture of himself. But the guy in the photo was young and muscular and handsome. Now I realize that he just pulled some random picture off the internet and used it to trick me. At the time, though, I thought it was what he really looked like. And let me tell you, I developed this huge crush on him. So, when he told me that he wanted to meet in person, of course I said yes.”

  “Let’s talk about that for a minute,” Radford said. “What plans did you originally make with him?”

  “On the day that I was abducted, Garrett told me to meet him over at Thurgood Park.”

  “Really? I figured that he would offer to come over to your house to pick you up.”

  “Garrett said he was going to set up a picnic lunch for us. Then we could go to a movie together. He had this whole big day planned out. When he explained it, his plan sounded so romantic.”

  “I’ll bet,” Radford said. “So, you walked over to the park. Then what happened?”

  “Garrett told me his green sedan would be parked in the back corner of the lot,” Claire said. “When I got to the park, I spotted the car and walked over there. But when I reached the sedan, I didn’t see anyone inside it.”

  “How about a blanket and a picnic basket? I do
n’t suppose you saw either of those things nearby either?” Radford asked.

  Claire shook her head. “No. But I did hear footsteps behind me. And they were coming up fast. Unfortunately, before I was able to turn around and see who was there, someone grabbed me from behind and pressed a damp cloth against my mouth and nose. A few seconds later, I passed out.”

  Radford grimaced. “What’s the next thing you remember?”

  “When I woke up, I was inside a cabin, handcuffed to a bed. That was when I realized I had been chloroformed. And that Garrett didn’t look anything like the photo he had sent me.”

  “What a nightmare.”

  “You’re telling me. I was absolutely terrified of what he was going to do to me.”

  “I can imagine. But before we go any further, let’s take a step back for a moment,” Radford said. “When Garrett abducted you at the park, I’m surprised that no one saw what was happening and reported him.”

  “I’m not,” she said.

  “How come?” he asked.

  “Detective, have you been to Thurgood Park on a Saturday at nine o’clock in the morning?”

  Radford shook his head.

  “The place is like a ghost town. Although, honestly, that park is never really busy at any hour of the day. Most people go to Watterson Park. It’s much bigger and has a lot more activities. I’m sure Garrett knew that. I’ll bet that’s why he specifically chose Thurgood Park,” Claire said.

  “You’re probably right,” Radford said. “Anyway, back to what happened at the cabin.”

  “I thought I was going to die. It was so scary.” She got choked up.

  “I don’t want you to feel like I’m rushing you. Go ahead and take all the time that you need.”

  Claire wiped a tear from her eye. “I know this is going to sound strange, but do I really have to go through all of the awful details?”

  Radford shook his head. “No. For the moment, you can stop right there.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. I don’t want to have to relive that.”

  “I understand. Although, I will need a written statement from you at some point.”

  “Okay.”

  “In the meantime, you have given me plenty of information to work with.”

  “Does that mean we’re done here?” Claire asked.

  “Technically, yes. Unless there’s something else you’d like to say.”

  Claire held her hand up. “Actually, there is one thing.”

  “What is it?”

  “Garrett is an absolute monster. I hope he rots in hell,” Claire said.

  “While I can’t speak for hell, I can say this. He will certainly be going to jail for a very long time,” Radford said.

  Epilogue

  When David, Jessica, and I left the police station, the case was officially closed. But that didn’t mean it had left our thoughts. David buckled Jessica’s safety belt, then closed the back door of his car. He then walked over toward me as I leaned against the trunk of the vehicle and stared out into the distance.

  “You know, there have been a lot of close calls over the years, but that was the closest,” I said.

  David’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

  I stared deep into my husband’s eyes. “Do I look like I’m kidding?”

  He shook his head. “No. I’m just saying, that’s a pretty incredible statement, considering how you’ve had a number of guns pointed at you in the past.”

  “True,” I said. “It is disturbing to think about how many times I have narrowly-averted disaster.”

  He nodded. “It really is.”

  “Even so, things were different with this incident. First, you weren’t by my side to protect me. And second, during the time of those other close calls, I wasn’t a mother yet. It is far more nerve-wracking trying to cheat death while also shielding your young daughter from danger.”

  “Again, I’m so sorry that you had to go through this,” he said. “Especially since you left Treasure Cove specifically to avoid danger.”

  I groaned. “Yeah. So much for a relaxing vacation by the lake. Instead, I ended up risking life and limb.”

  “As harrowing of an experience as it was, I’m trying to focus on how grateful I am that both you and Jessica survived.”

  “Make no mistake, I know how lucky I am to be talking to you right now. At the same time, I can’t help but be hung up on the fact that trouble managed to find me all the way up here, despite all of the steps I took to avoid it.”

  David took a deep breath before responding. “It is incredible how that happened.”

  I corrected him. “Don’t you mean, terrifying?”

  “That too.”

  I stared up at the sky. “On a night like this, it’s hard to escape the feeling that trouble went out of its way to follow me.”

  David put his hand up. “While I can certainly understand why you’d feel that way, I don’t think you’re as cursed as you’re making yourself out to be.”

  I scrunched my nose. “Oh no?”

  “Even though I hated the fact that you were in danger, you coming up here played a pivotal role in solving this case. I mean, if your instincts hadn’t have urged you to take this trip, perhaps Claire Blakely might not have ever been found.”

  “You’re right.”

  “That’s not all, though. Clearly, Garrett was on the hunt for more women to abduct. So, if he hadn’t have targeted you, he probably would have made a move on another woman. Perhaps someone who doesn’t carry around a can of pepper spray in her purse. Or who doesn’t have great survival instincts.”

  “Good point.”

  “So, maybe the reason your instincts kept pushing you to come up here wasn’t to relax, but rather to solve this mystery.”

  “That’s an interesting theory.”

  “You can’t exactly rule out that possibility.”

  “No,” I said. “Although, now that this case is behind us, I really would like for things to settle down.”

  “I’m right there with you,” he said.

  “What do you think the chances are of life taking it easy on us?”

  “What are your instincts telling you?”

  I bit the corner of my lip as I tried to get a read on my feelings. “At the moment, I’m not getting a strong feeling one way or another.”

  He shook his head. “What a time for your instincts to go quiet.”

  “I know, right? Although, my instincts have been working overtime lately. Maybe they need a break.”

  “They have definitely earned one.”

  “True. But so have I.”

  “Speaking of a break, the case is closed now. And we’re already here at Lake Ashford. So, why not take a few days off and relax at the lake?”

  “Honestly, after everything that happened here, I just want to go home.”

  “I understand. Tell you what, though. When we get back to Treasure Cove, how about I give you a nice shoulder rub?”

  My eyes lit up. “Now you’re talking.”

  “I figured you’d say that.”

  “Now that I think about it, I could also go for a sweet treat too.”

  “How about some cookies?”

  I smiled. “That sounds like a delicious way to close out the evening.”

  The End.

  Did you know that there are even more adventures featuring Sabrina and her Treasure Cove friends and family?

  If you haven’t read the Daley Buzz series, you should buy those books right now!

  https://www.amazon.com/Meredith-Potts/e/B01GH44H6A/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_9?qid=1529325337&sr=8-9

  Books in the Daley Buzz series

  Book 1 – Chocolate with a Side of Murder

  Book 2 – Caramels with a Side of Murder

  Book 3 – Apple Pie with a Side of Murder

  Book 4 – Lemon Bars with a Side of Murder

  Book 5 – Cookies with a Side of Murder

  Book 6 – Halloween Candy with a Side of Murder
>
  Book 7 – Christmas Cookies with a Side of Murder

  Book 8 – Gelato with a Side of Murder

  Book 9 – Chocolate Cake with a Side of Murder

  Book 10 – Cupcakes with a Side of Murder

  Other books by Meredith Potts:

  Hope Hadley Series

  Fame is a Killer

  Fishing For Murder

  Murder of a Yoga Instructor

  Drowning In Deceit

  A Not So Merry Christmas Murder

  Killer Injustice

  Murder of a Restaurant Critic

  Murder of a Movie Producer

  The Killer Holiday Office Party

  Murder Hits Close To Home

  Meredith Potts Cozy Mystery Anthology (featuring Deadpan Murder, Killer Amnesia, College Can Be Murder, The Last Frontier of Murder, and Murder in Happy Creek)

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